• Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid, Vice-President, Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Defence, attend the opening ceremony of Idex. Mohamed Al Hammadi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
    Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid, Vice-President, Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Defence, attend the opening ceremony of Idex. Mohamed Al Hammadi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
  • Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed speaks with an exhibitor during a tour of Idex. Ryan Carter / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
    Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed speaks with an exhibitor during a tour of Idex. Ryan Carter / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
  • Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed visits the Halcon Systems stand at Idex. Rashed Al Mansoori / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
    Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed visits the Halcon Systems stand at Idex. Rashed Al Mansoori / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
  • Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed speaks with a representative. Ryan Carter / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
    Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed speaks with a representative. Ryan Carter / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
  • Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid tour the exhibits. Mohamed Al Hammadi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
    Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid tour the exhibits. Mohamed Al Hammadi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
  • Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed tours the exhibition with Major General Essa Saif Al Mazrouei, Deputy Chief of Staff of the UAE Armed Forces. Rashed Al Mansoori / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
    Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed tours the exhibition with Major General Essa Saif Al Mazrouei, Deputy Chief of Staff of the UAE Armed Forces. Rashed Al Mansoori / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
  • Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed visits NAVAL Group stand. Rashed Al Mansoori / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
    Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed visits NAVAL Group stand. Rashed Al Mansoori / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
  • Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Ibrahima Kassory Fofana, Prime Minister of Guinea, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice-President and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman, Rustam Minnikhanov, President of Tatarstan, Sheikh Rashid bin Saud bin Rashid Al Mu'alla, Crown Prince of Umm Al Quwain and Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region, attend the opening ceremony. Mohamed Al Hammadi/Ministry of Presidential Affairs
    Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Ibrahima Kassory Fofana, Prime Minister of Guinea, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice-President and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman, Rustam Minnikhanov, President of Tatarstan, Sheikh Rashid bin Saud bin Rashid Al Mu'alla, Crown Prince of Umm Al Quwain and Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region, attend the opening ceremony. Mohamed Al Hammadi/Ministry of Presidential Affairs
  • Members of the UAE Military band, members of the Abu Dhabi Police band and members of the Armenian Military Orchestra, perform during the opening ceremony. Mohamed Al Hammadi/Ministry of Presidential Affairs
    Members of the UAE Military band, members of the Abu Dhabi Police band and members of the Armenian Military Orchestra, perform during the opening ceremony. Mohamed Al Hammadi/Ministry of Presidential Affairs
  • Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Ibrahima Kassory Fofana, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid attend the opening ceremony. Mohamed Al Hammadi/Ministry of Presidential Affairs
    Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Ibrahima Kassory Fofana, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid attend the opening ceremony. Mohamed Al Hammadi/Ministry of Presidential Affairs
  • A mock battle at Idex 2019 in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
    A mock battle at Idex 2019 in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
  • A mock battle at Idex 2019 in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
    A mock battle at Idex 2019 in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
  • A mock battle at Idex 2019 in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
    A mock battle at Idex 2019 in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
  • A mock battle at Idex 2019 in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
    A mock battle at Idex 2019 in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
  • A mock battle at Idex 2019 in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
    A mock battle at Idex 2019 in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
  • Flyby after the UAE national anthem at Idex 2019. Victor Besa / The National
    Flyby after the UAE national anthem at Idex 2019. Victor Besa / The National
  • The Abu Dhabi Marching Band during the opening ceremony at Idex 2019. Victor Besa / The National
    The Abu Dhabi Marching Band during the opening ceremony at Idex 2019. Victor Besa / The National
  • Flyby after the UAE national anthem at Idex 2019. Victor Besa / The National
    Flyby after the UAE national anthem at Idex 2019. Victor Besa / The National
  • Visitors arrive for day one of Idex. Victor Besa/The National
    Visitors arrive for day one of Idex. Victor Besa/The National
  • A Caracal Stand with the CAR series assault rifle. Victor Besa/The National
    A Caracal Stand with the CAR series assault rifle. Victor Besa/The National
  • An Idex visitor checks out the AW149 Multi-Mission Performance helicopter. Victor Besa/The National
    An Idex visitor checks out the AW149 Multi-Mission Performance helicopter. Victor Besa/The National
  • The Horizon, an early warning Infra-Red (MWIR) thermal imaging camera. Victor Besa/The National
    The Horizon, an early warning Infra-Red (MWIR) thermal imaging camera. Victor Besa/The National
  • The OPTIO X20 UGV, unmanned ground vehicle with a remote 20mm and 50mm canon. Victor Besa/The National
    The OPTIO X20 UGV, unmanned ground vehicle with a remote 20mm and 50mm canon. Victor Besa/The National
  • The Leclerc Tank. Victor Besa/The National
    The Leclerc Tank. Victor Besa/The National
  • The Chinese made Blowfish A2 helicopter drone. Victor Besa/The National
    The Chinese made Blowfish A2 helicopter drone. Victor Besa/The National
  • The Norinco 100kg Laser/ GPS Dual-Mode Guided Bomb. Victor Besa/The National
    The Norinco 100kg Laser/ GPS Dual-Mode Guided Bomb. Victor Besa/The National
  • Munitions by Mecar, Nexter Munitions and Simmel Difesa. Victor Besa/The National
    Munitions by Mecar, Nexter Munitions and Simmel Difesa. Victor Besa/The National
  • An Idex visitor takes a photo of the AR3 Guided Multiple Rocket System. Victor Besa/The National
    An Idex visitor takes a photo of the AR3 Guided Multiple Rocket System. Victor Besa/The National
  • A mock battle at Idex 2019 in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
    A mock battle at Idex 2019 in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

Government

Idex 2019: Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed watch spectacular opening display

Performance jets screamed overhead as the annual defence exhibition began in front of the UAE Vice President and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince

The National

February 17, 2019

  • English
  • Arabic

The UAE's leaders and visiting heads of state watched a spectacular opening ceremony as Abu Dhabi's annual defence show got under way on Sunday.

A Khaleeji bagpipe band and a stunning aerial display by the seven jets of the Al Fursan performance team were part of the morning's events.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Commander of the Armed Forces, were among the hundreds of spectators at the purpose-built parade ground at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

Sheikh Mohamed tweeted images of himself alongside Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, while Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, the Crown Prince of Dubai, was also in attendance.

Among the foreign dignitaries was the Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov and the Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Organisers of the event expect UAE defence deals to exceed Dh19 billion in the coming days.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed, Vice Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, described Idex in a tweet as a "unique economic, technological and military event that brings the world together again in the UAE".

He posted a video of UAE Founder Father Sheikh Zayed touring what appears to be an earlier version of the event.

UAE